Divine Authority: The Clarity and Reliability of Scripture

Because, Paul insists that God who is discloses Himself. He reveals Himself. And we examined that briefly in Romans chapter 1 of the New Testament. But the revelation that Paul is speaking of there is a silent revelation. It is a revelation that comes through the medium of nature. As the Psalmist in the Old Testament declared, “The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows forth His handiwork.” Do you see that that’s a muted testimony? It’s a non-verbal evidence. [00:00:56]

There’s a sense in which we don’t want the word of God to be true. And there’s this obvious reason for that, because when we come to the Scriptures we soon discover as much as we want to criticize them, that they are criticizing us. Paul in that first chapter to the Romans, after he describes this revelation that comes to nature says later on in verse 28, “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge.” [00:03:18]

Beloved, if God says it it’s settled whether I believe it or not. If the omniscient Creator of heaven and earth opens His sacred mouth and utters a single word, the debate is over. What fool in his madness would think that he could debate with an eternal omniscient being? But the question is not if it’s settled once God says it but the question today is has He said anything? [00:04:48]

Obviously, I would think it would be obvious, that if the Bible is what it claims to be nothing less than communication from Almighty God, it is anything but a matter of recreation. But again, here we see the conflict, the collision between worldviews, don’t we? Not everybody agrees on the nature of Scripture. Scripture makes claims for itself. [00:09:09]

The Apostle Peter makes the observation in his writings in the New Testament as he says to those who receive his information, “We are testifying to you not cunningly devised myths and fables, but we declare unto you what we have seen with our eyes, and what we have heard with our ears.” Do you see the antithesis? Peter says you may say this is myth; you may say this is fable, but Peter was prepared to die for its truthfulness. [00:09:45]

Now obviously in this short period of time I can’t give you a full fledged apologetic for the integrity of sacred Scripture, but let me just give you a brief outline of how the church has proceeded historically to the conclusion that the Bible is not myth, that it is not fable, that it is not legend, and that it is truth, and that it is infallible truth. [00:12:39]

There is no book, no history of any individual more verified and attested in all time than Jesus of Nazareth. No truth claim ever been subjected to such detailed analysis, such meticulous scholarship as those found in sacred Scripture. And it is just simply irresponsible to dismiss it. Now, if it is basically reliable, just basic reliability is as reliable as Tacitus or Heroditus or some other historian. [00:14:22]

If a prophet, then He was a man who is committed carefully to speak the truth. Then we move to the next step. What was the teaching of Jesus with respect to the Scriptures? Do you see how we’re progressing? General reliability, the general picture of Jesus, to the question of what does Jesus teach about the nature of Scripture. [00:17:02]

Jesus said, “This word cannot be broken. This word must be fulfilled. These words are life themselves.” And so what I’m trying to do in shorthand version for you here is simply to say that the major reason why the church has come to such a high regard for sacred Scripture is in direct link to the regard that the church has for the integrity of Jesus. [00:18:27]

We don’t struggle with the law of God or with the word of God primarily because we’re ignorant of it. I don’t think there’s been a period in church history of more pervasive ignorance of the content of Scripture than today in our own culture. And you know the word ignorant comes from the Latin ignoramus, which means aganosko in Greek -- without knowledge. [00:24:56]

The primary motivating driving cause for ignorance of anything is the ignoring of the subject. We’re ignorant of Scripture because we ignore the Scripture. And as the Apostle said, we’re proving it with our lives. We don’t want to retain God in our thinking. We want to banish Him from intruding into our presence, particularly when He comes to speak of law. [00:25:52]

Who is sovereign? Is it God who is and who speaks? Or am I sovereign exercising personal autonomy where I am a law unto myself to do what I want to do because I want to do it. If that’s where we are, then there’s a lot at stake for us, and we better hope, and of course, prayer would be a waste of time. [00:27:08]